


Goodnight Kisses

by nastymajesty



Category: Splatoon
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Minor Angst, Mutual Pining, Partial Nudity, Pre Relationship, but its minor and not that big of a deal so dont be weird please
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:21:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26666620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nastymajesty/pseuds/nastymajesty
Summary: “I need to use the shower.”Malley rubbed their eyes, still partially asleep. “Huh? It’s almost 5 am…”“I’ll be fast.” Something about Palace’s voice sounded urgent and embarrassed, so they didn’t want to push. Not to mention it probably was annoying that she had to ask to use her shower since the only one in her - their? - apartment was in Palace’s bedroom, which was currently occupied by the ill Agent 3.Instead of going back to sleep, Malley let themself slowly wake, idly scrolling through their phone in bed. Palace was true to her word - she was only in the shower for 5 minutes maximum. A soft cry from the bathroom made Malibu shoot out of bed in seconds, just before the shower turned off.They awkwardly knocked on the door. “Is… everything okay?”Palace's back still stings because of Kamabo, so Malley offers to kiss it better.
Relationships: Agent 3/Agent 8 (Splatoon)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 49





	Goodnight Kisses

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Within Palace Walls](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15677628) by [nastymajesty](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nastymajesty/pseuds/nastymajesty). 



> This has some veeeery minor spoilers for [Within Palace Walls](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15677628/chapters/36423333), though the description of wpw implies that they'll live together eventually so it's not much. You don't _need_ to read wpw for context outside of Palace = Eight & Malibu = Three, but it'd be nice if you did :p  
> Because this is kinda old this isn't proof read to the extent my other writing usually is. I only really spell checked it, so this might be clunky in some parts. I also wrote it mostly at 3am. But it should be fiiineee.  
> Also some warnings for implied nudity, but nothing happens with it and Palace covers herself with a towel the whole time. My agents are also all adults.  
> Enjoy!

“I need to use the shower.”

Malley rubbed their eyes, still partially asleep. “Huh? It’s almost 5 am…”

“I’ll be fast.”

Malibu only managed to nod, but they couldn’t get themself to sink back into the warmth of Palace’s bed. Something about Palace’s voice sounded urgent and embarrassed, so they didn’t want to push. Not to mention it probably was annoying that she had to ask to use her shower since the only one in her - _their_? - apartment was in Palace’s bedroom, which was currently occupied by the ill Agent 3 while Palace slept on the fold-out bed in the living room.

Instead of going back to sleep, Malley let themself slowly wake, idly scrolling through their phone in bed. Palace was true to her word - she was only in the shower for 5 minutes maximum. A soft cry from the bathroom made Malibu shoot out of bed in seconds, just before the shower turned off.

They awkwardly knocked on the door. “Is… everything okay?”

“I’m fine. I’m almost done.”

Seconds later Palace opened the door and rushed past them. She wasn’t wearing her pyjamas anymore, leaving them discarded on the bathroom floor. Instead, she had grabbed another towel and wrapped it around herself and bolted to her closet.

They didn’t want to stare, but they followed. Something was wrong.

“Palace?”

Palace stiffened in front of her closet, turning around to completely face Malibu. They couldn’t tell if she was glaring or squinting because she wasn’t wearing her glasses.

“Can I help you?” Palace said in that _I’m trying to sound grouchy so you won’t talk to me_ voice - the one that never really worked on Malley because they thought it was cute.

Malibu’s eyes scanned their roommate's, who was rigidly holding her towel. She had her back pressed against the closet doors and held her towel as if her life depended on it. It only made Malibu more worried, but they also didn’t want to come off as creepy. “Are you hurt?”

Palace’s tentacles twitched while she deliberately avoided eye contact. “You should be sleeping.”

Within seconds Malley was rushing to her side, trying to prod at her for any signs of injury like she was a helpless sea slug. She dodged most of their prodding and kept her back firmly against the wall. “Oh cod, did you fall? Trip on your way to bed when I blinked? Choke on a midnight snack? Oh no, did you _fall out of bed earlier_?”

Palace waved her hands around and shoved them away. “No! Nothing like that happened!”

Malibu frowned, their voice softening. Palace still looked stressed, but she lowered her defence. Worry settled in their stomach like a pile of heavy rocks. “You can tell me.”

“You’ll think it’s dumb.”

Malley chuckled. “I’m the president of dumb, of course not.”

Palace hugged herself tightly with one arm, still not looking at Malley. They oh so desperately wanted to gently guide her face toward their own and hold her face, but they kicked that thought to the back of their mind for now. She rubbed her thumb over her shoulder. “It’s my back… it… acts up sometimes. It _hurts_.”

Palace sat down onto her bed and Malibu followed, taking a seat next to her with their legs crossed. She let the towel fall a few inches from her back, revealing a glowing scar somewhat like their own, albeit much duller and more faded. It better resembled an ink stain than a wound. The towel had splotches of blue and turquoise on it, which now explained why Palace owned hardly any white towels.

Malley scooted themself closer to her, carefully placing a gentle hand onto Palace’s. She didn’t flinch or move away, and Malibu felt Palace’s own soft, smaller hand slowly intertwine with their own.

But she still looked away.

“I… know, kind of, what that’s like,” Malley said.

“I knew you would. But our circumstances are different.”

“Is that why you never told me?” They whispered. Malley might be a _little_ dumb, but they weren’t an idiot. They knew Palace went out of her way to hide her back from other people, even Malley. They never prodded or asked why, though. In a way, they already knew from the few times they had seen her in the metro, but they also knew it would be a sensitive topic.

Palace nodded, finally turning her gaze to them. “You could say that, in a way.”

“Palace.” Feeling bold, Malibu slowly lifted their hand to Palace’s cheek, turning her to face them. She let them but didn’t keep eye contact. “I might be one of the few people who understand.”

Palace’s blue eyes finally met theirs as she rested her clawed hand onto Malibu’s. Slowly, she guided Malley’s hand to her cheek, where she gently leaned into it. Malibu’s hearts picked up their pace as they felt their face begin to burn up, not expecting the sudden affection at all.

Palace’s gaze averted again, looking embarrassed. Her free hand clutched her towel like a lifeline, Malibu almost completely forgotten about it. She finally managed to speak just above a whisper, “I didn’t want to look fragile around you.”

Malibu smiled faintly, rubbing her cheek with a thumb. They knew how much Palace hated talking about her feelings “I think it’s the opposite. You went through so much to earn those scars, you know,” Malibu tilted their head to the left, showing off the more scarred side of their face, which didn’t have any bandages tonight. “I just got myself brainwashed. I didn’t do much to get this like you did.”

Cold air touched Malibu’s hand as Palace removed hers, reaching for Malibu’s face and grabbing them by the chin to roughly make them face her. Malibu felt a blush rise to their face as they jerked their hand back. “Don’t _say_ that! You did that to save me, you… you…” Palace opened her mouth to find an appropriate insult, then shut it. She gently let go of them to hold onto her towel again, staring at her lap. “Stupid squid,” Palace finally mumbled. Malibu could only snicker.

Malibu brushed Palace’s longer tentacle out of her face, feeling it briefly curl over their fingers and linger for a second before settling behind her ear. “We both went through a lot we didn’t ask for, babe. And the aftermath doesn’t make us weak. You can always talk to me about it. Or ask for my company, if that’s better.”

Palace nodded. “Your company is… appreciated.” She still didn’t look at them directly, which made their hearts ache, but Malibu couldn’t blame her either. Her voice became a hoarse whisper as if there was still something bothering her deep inside that she couldn’t grasp the words to no matter how hard she tried. It probably didn’t help that she was tired. “I should go back to bed,” Palace whispered.

“Wait,” Malibu panicked. They wanted to help her in some way, to comfort her better, but they also couldn’t tell if she needed alone time. But they also just wanted her company. They took the risk and spoke without much thought, “Do you want me to...kiss it better?”

“Huh?” Palace blinked.

“Do you… want me to, uh,” Malibu became far too aware of what they just said, and now the worry of potentially making the octoling uncomfortable dropped filled their chest and made their throat feel tight. “Shit, uh… I didn’t mean - you can forget I said anything.”

“No,” Palace shot up. “I mean, yes. Yes, you can… do that. I don’t mind,” she slowly adjusted her body so her bare back faced Malibu, the towel falling farther down but still covering the front of her body. The scars covered almost her entire back, making Malibu thankful for Palace’s permission. It looked like it hurt and all they wanted to do was help her. If Malibu could wish all her pain away, they’d do it in a heartbeat.

Malibu reached their clawed hand to her back, but as soon as it contacted her skin Palace jerked away with a yelp. Malibu lurched back as well, concerned. “Oh no, did I hurt you?”

“No, I think it’s just…” Palace’s shoulders relaxed again. “Your claws are very similar to an octoling’s. There is ink at the tips, and in your case, it’s that… nasty ink. It burns on my scars.”

“Oh.” Malibu glared at their hand for a moment, disgusted. They normally didn’t mind the modifications that came with their sanitation, but if it hurt Palace… that was a different story. They opted for their normal, not painful hand instead, tracing gentle touches over the top of Palace’s back, drawing over her muscles. They felt her shiver, but she didn’t back away. Malibu carefully moved Palace’s long, wavy tentacles over her shoulders and out of the way.

Ever so gently, Malibu began to pepper delicate kisses onto Palace, laying their good hand on her shoulder and the other over her arm. They moved down, trying to kiss each inch of her back that was affected by those bombs in the metro. Her back was warm, and she smelled like a sweet flower Malibu couldn’t quite name. They felt Palace begin to melt in their touch as they continued their journey further down her back, and she leaned forward to make it easier for them. Malibu gave her an exaggerated, big kiss in the middle, raising a giggle out of her that they rarely ever heard. A win for Malley in their book.

They finally reached the lower part of her back and noticed a medium-sized star-shaped scar near her hip, piquing their curiosity. They decided against commenting on it for now, but they could ask later. Malibu then sat back up and pressed three quick kisses on the back of her neck for good measure, making Palace squeak. “Did that help, babe?”

“Yeah,” Palace spoke warmly, rubbing the back of her neck. “Thank you for that.”

Malibu ran a hand down her arm, lingering for a second. They finally pulled themself away as Palace covered herself properly again.

“I should get dressed now,” she muttered. Her voice only sounded tired now, to Malley’s relief. They hoped that made her feel better.

“Mhm,” Malibu replied. “Are you going back to bed?”

“In just a minute.”

Malibu turned themself around on Palace’s bed to face the wall and give her the privacy she needed. She was done within a minute, much to their surprise. They knew she had finished when they felt her gaze burn holes into their back. When they turned around, she was standing at the doorway, staring at them with wide eyes as her loose tentacles flicked back and forth. They wondered if she was spacing out or if something was wrong again.

“Well, goodnight Palace,” Malibu finally said, giving her a big goofy grin as they shuffled to the back of the bed. They watched her, waiting for a response. Palace looked so alluring right now, in an oversized shirt and underwear, her tentacles draped over her shoulder and the moonlight bouncing off her face…

“Wait,” Palace came back further into the room, toward Malibu.

“Aw, want a goodnight hug?” Malley teased, opening their arms.

Instead, Palace climbed onto the bed with them, placing herself right in front of Malibu. When close to them, she leaned forward. She held one hand on Malibu’s face and the other on their thigh. Then, without little warning, she pressed a harsh kiss on their cheek where Malley’s scar lay.

It happened so fast but felt like it was all in slow motion. Did that even actually happen or was Malley imagining things? Were they still staring at her while she stood in the doorway? Were they being a creep?

They felt a light slap on their cheek. “ _Malley_.”

“Huh?”

Palace sat in front of them, crossing her arms. “I was just returning the favour. If I had known it would have broken your squid brain, then I don’t think I would have done that.”

“What? No, no!” Malley defended; hands raised. “I just… that was…” They found themself unable to look at Palace, knowing well that if they did, they would melt into a puddle in seconds. They fumbled with the hem of their pyjama shirt. “That was nice of you,” they finished.

Palace smirked, probably feeling victorious for once. “Well then, goodnight.”

Malibu’s ear’s dipped down. They didn’t want her to go but knew that she would prefer to sleep in the living room. It was selfish to want to stay up longer and just be in the octoling’s presence.

But much to Malibu’s surprise, Palace didn’t leave. _When did she…?_

Next to them, Palace had crawled into bed as well, already under the blankets and laying on her stomach. Malibu panicked. Did she want them to sleep on the couch?

“Um.” Malibu stuttered. “Do you want your bed back tonight?”

“Hm?” Palace looked up; eyes already fogged with fatigue. “Yeah. It’d be easier to get to the shower from here in the morning.”

Malibu was already climbing out of bed, ready to move for her comfort. “I’ll go sleep on the-”

Palace grabbed their wrist and let out a loud whine that Malibu had never heard from her before. She almost sounded like a stray kitten, begging for their attention. “Stay _here_.”

Malley blinked before her words registered in their mind. With an adoring smile, they crawled back in next to her, facing Palace’s tired form. Their hearts were beating in their ears and they so badly wanted to hold her, but this was already bliss as it is.

“Goodnight, Palace.”

Palace shifted closer to Malibu, almost burying herself in their chest. One of her tentacles reached to their arm and wrapped itself around it, a sign of affection only octolings portrayed. They felt like hundreds of fireworks were going off in their brain right now, celebrating a romantic victory.

“Mhm. Night,” Palace muttered before drifting to sleep.

They reminded themself just how deep in this yearning rabbit hole they were. Malibu didn’t mind in the slightest.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments & Kudos are appreciated ♥


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